36°
Luke V. Bakula, 31, of Haskell was sentenced this past week to consecutive sentences of 12 years for aggravated sexual assault and six years for sexual assault.
Under New Jersey's No Early Release Law, he must serve a minimum of 85% of the combined 18-year sentence handed down Thursday by Superior Court Judge Joseph A. Portelli.
Jurors in Paterson convicted Bakula in March of all of the charges against him.
Bakula sexually assaulted the girl at the Porta’s Karate Dojo Academy, where he'd worked, and at her home between November 2005 and July 2006, Passaic County Assistant Prosecutor Kathy I. Oviedo told them.
The girl eventually went to authorities nearly 10 years later, after which a grand jury indicted him.
At that point, he stopped being a student assistant instructor.
Months before his arrest, Bakula took a job as an assistant substitute teacher in the Ringwood public schools system.
He's now barred from ever holding public employment again.
He also must register as a Megan's Law offender and remain under parole supervision for life following his release from prison.
******
ALSO SEE: A Teaneck High School basketball coach repeatedly had improper physical contact with two underage girls over the past several months, said authorities who arrested him.
******
Click here to follow Daily Voice Hackensack and receive free news updates.
